Robust design in new product development process: a neglected methodology in UK manufacturing organizations

Robust design (RD) is a powerful methodology for making products’ performance insensitive to variations in manufacturing conditions, environmental variations and product‐to‐product variation. Although it has been widely accepted for tackling variability problems in manufacturing processes, research has shown that very little has been done on the application of such a powerful methodology in the UK manufacturing sector within the new product development process (NPDP). Engineers and scientists in the UK organizations are far more likely to use the traditional one‐factor‐at‐a‐time (OFAT) approach to experimentation than RD. This paper investigates why RD is not commonly accepted and applied in the UK manufacturing organizations as opposed to Japan and even the USA today. The paper will also illustrate what benefits could be achieved if RD principles are effectively applied in the NPDP in manufacturing organizations.